Homily Easter Day - Do We Understand?

My friends Happy Easter and as we sang in the Psalms - This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.  Remember this Psalm for later.

First I’d like to recap today’s Gospel: It was still dark and they ran to the tomb - Mary, Peter, and the disciple Jesus loved. Peter was old and fat and didnt get there first. When Peter got there he went in and found the tomb empty, the burial cloths rolled up. Then the other disciple went in: he saw and believed but they didn’t understand.

This is from the Gospel of John 20:1-9. I think it should have also included the next verse, John 20:10,  “Then the disciples returned home.”

I’m not exactly sure what that disciple saw and believed. They just returned home. Did he believe that the body of Jesus was gone or did he believe that Jesus had risen? This is the Gospel of John, the disciple Jesus loved. He was first to reach the tomb. John saw and believed and then he writes, they did not understand at that time. They just returned home.

If you study the scriptures you will find one thing.  The disciples loved Jesus. They followed him and hung on every word, every miracle, and teaching. But most of the time, they just didn’t get it.  They believed in him but they didn’t always understand him.

We have an advantage and something in common with the disciples.

The advantage, we don’t have to see to believe. We’re here today on Easter Sunday because we do believe. We believe because we have the Gospel accounts of Jesus’s life. We know what he experienced: celebrations, betrayal, abandonment, pain, suffering and death. From this week, we know the passion of Christ from Palm Sunday to His crucifixion on Good Friday. We do believe because we know what’s after the empty tomb. So today, Easter Sunday, we celebrate His resurrection.

Now, the part we have in common - so many don’t understand. This Sunday morning, Christians throughout the world celebrate is resurrection then simply return home.

We do believe! Do we understand? Do we simply return home? 

Returning home is not always a good thing. I’m not talking about the house of wood or bricks but the interior home our ego. I’m about to say ugly words about that home; some are built with anger, prejudice, bias, and the self-centered aspects of human life.

I can find myself there sometimes - We can find ourselves there sometimes. St. Paul calls it in Corinthians - old yeast and we are to get rid of it.

We find it in those lukewarm in faith. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who ask if you are saved – just say this sinner’s prayer. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who say God spoke to them and everyone else is wrong. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

Those who say, God doesn’t love Muslims or Hindus or Buddhist or Atheist or Homosexuals or anyone who is different. They believe but don’t understand. They’ve gone back home.

People don’t understand, Jesus died for all of us.

People don’t understand, for all of us, he had to rise from the dead.

People don’t understand, the tomb being empty means He is alive in the world, for all of us.

Christ is not distant and impersonal. Christ does not judge us on if we have said the sinner’s prayer. All our prayers are a sinner’s prayers.

We do believe but do we understand that Christ is with us and loves us no matter who our priest or preacher is; or, how we live our lives; or, what sins we have.  

How do we understand: know your faith. How do we understand: know Jesus. How do we understand: know His love.

Believe and understand, prepare for your new home:

Today and every day, Christ lives and He cares for us.

Today and every day, Christ lives and He is close to us.

Today and every day, Christ lives and He offers us a relationship real and personal.  

Pope Francis explains it in words I love, “Christ, the everlasting today of God.” Remember that Psalm we started with? My friends, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.